Although many restaurant managers are trained on the job and are promoted from another position, a postsecondary degree or college coursework is becoming a preference among employers. Many restaurant chains offer their own training programs.
How to Become a Restaurant Manager
Restaurant managers oversee the day-to-day operations of a food service organization, including ordering food and supplies, providing customer service, managing staff, and planning menus. The jobs of a restaurant manager are highly specialized and change constantly as tastes change and restaurants modernize. A restaurant manager must be prepared for a career that operates in a fast-paced manner and requires the careful organization of many parts. The required education to become a restaurant manager varies. Some managers have just a high school diploma and receive on-the-job training, while others hold a certificate, associate degree or bachelor's degree related to restaurant management. Becoming a restaurant manager generally requires restaurant work experience for this management role, so some formal education programs incorporate internships. The basic steps to become a restaurant manager include:
- Obtaining restaurant experience
- Completing some form of education requirements such as a degree in management or business, or a company-specific training program
- Gaining experience as a manager
| Required Education | High school diploma with on-the-job training; certificate, associate degree or bachelor's degree preferred by some employers |
| Other Requirements | Up to five years of work experience in the field |
| Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)* | 1% |
| Mean Annual Salary (2019)* | $55,320 for food service managers |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Duties of a Restaurant Manager
A restaurant manager has many duties that must be completed so that a restaurant may operate smoothly. A manager must oversee all staff including hosts, servers, kitchen workers, head chefs, and dishwashers. This includes hiring workers, scheduling work shifts to ensure that the restaurant is properly staffed, and training workers. A manager must also ensure the cleanliness of a restaurant so that diners are pleased with the experience and all health and safety standards are met.
The restaurant manager also has extensive duties when it comes to the actual food that a restaurant serves. A manager must ensure that all food is properly stocked to meet demand and ensure that all food orders are correct and come on time so that service is not disrupted. Additionally, a manager may play a role in determining the menu. This includes ensuring that the food tastes good, has a high enough profit margin, has proper plating and that it blends well with the other dishes on the menu. If a particular dish does not taste good or is too expensive to produce, it may cause a restaurant to lose money.
Finally, the manager must provide excellent customer service. This includes oversight of the staff to ensure that guests are treated well and are happy with their service. A manager must be able to smooth over any issues that arise with a customer whether this is a dislike of the food, any errors made by the kitchen, or mistakes made by the restaurant staff.
Education Requirements to be a Restaurant Manager
In the past, there were no formal education requirements to be a restaurant manager, and most managers received their training through work experience as a restaurant employee. Today, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov), a college degree or training at a postsecondary school is a preferred qualification for many restaurant manager positions.
Degree programs in restaurant management are available for students who wish to move into a leadership position at a restaurant. These programs are available as certificate, associate degree, and bachelor's degree programs. Master's degree programs are also available, but they are typically earned by people seeking a corporate management position.
Curriculum
Restaurant management education programs are also known as hospitality management or food service management programs. All the programs typically include training in customer service, cost estimation, marketing, food service sanitation, and human resources. Bachelor's degree programs in restaurant management may also include advanced training in facilities planning, advertising, contract management, and international cuisine. Many schools also require internships or real-world experience to graduate, such as working in an on-campus restaurant.
Restaurant Management Training Information
The most common form of training for a career as a restaurant manager comes from on-the-job experience. Many managers start out working as cooks, hosts, or wait staff at a restaurant and learn all aspects of the food service business.
Many large food service companies or restaurant chains offer their own management training programs. These programs offer specific training in the company's human resources and financial policies, as well as its unique restaurant equipment, computer programs, and menu items. Some restaurant organizations pay for potential managers to enroll in business or computer classes through a local college or community education program.
Aspiring restaurant managers may choose to earn an associate, bachelor's, or higher degree to give them the knowledge and skills needed to manage a restaurant. On the other hand, many do not have formal education, and instead, become managers through job promotion.
Restaurant Management Salary and Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual income of a restaurant manager in 2019 was $55,320. The bottom tenth percentile of restaurant managers earned less than $33,210, while the top 90th percentile of managers earned $93,040. This range depends on one's experience, the state in which one lives, and the scale and demand of the restaurant that one manages. Between 2019 and 2029 this field is expected to increase 1% (slower than average).
